Surprise Saturday SciFé

In honor of the late Steven Hawking, Stan Lee, and Steve Ditko, Science the Earth is hosting a free science café, or SciFé, on the first Saturday of the month from 11AM-12 noon at Birt's Bistro in Surprise, AZ. Each week will feature a new expert that will present interesting facts and also discuss the science behind the incredible phenomena of your favorite SciFi Lore! Click on the links below to learn more about each event:

The demand for more power is rising significantly to keep up with electricity use of old and new electronic devices supplying our ever-growing, worldwide population. Advanced super-capacitors, lithium-ion batteries, solar panels, and more recently “fuel cells” are some of the latest technological developments to deliver energy from renewable sources much more efficiently than their fossil fuel predecessors. Currently, they are being used for stationary power applications on the electric grid or in remote locations. Especially, they are being utilized for various mobile devices and the burgeoning electric transportation sector for either terrestrial or extraterrestrial applications. ​

Polio, Smallpox, and HIV are deadly pathogens that are responsible for the death and suffering of millions. Each of them has a particular superpower. Polio is a master at infecting nerve cells. HIV can infiltrate and hijack the most protected region of a cell. Smallpox is a juggernaut, able to smash through antiviral defenses as if they weren’t even there. These powers are what allow these viruses to plague humanity so effectively. But can they be reformed to use these powers for good? In this presentation, I’ll talk about the biology of these viruses and what super-villains they are most similar too. I’ll then move on to different ways scientists and physicians are trying to use them to better understand and treat diseases such as cancer.

Practically no one believes that any computer existing today can think precisely in the same way as a human. However, is it theoretically possible that a more advanced computer in the future may indeed be able to do so? This question has been hotly debated by neuroscientists, computer scientists, and philosophers starting in the 1950's, soon after electronic computers were first developed. There are good theoretical arguments on both sides, and these will be presented along with their counterarguments. We will also explore links between these arguments and the depiction of the "thinking" computers HAL from "2001: A Space Odyssey" and Data from "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

Captain Marvel---the big-budget film based on a mixture of the comic series Ms. Marvel and the male-centered Captain Marvel (aka: Shazam!) and others---is set for release in early 2019. An Oscar-winning actor (and a woman) stars as the eponymous hero, as we saw in teaser ads appearing everywhere in 2018, and it is apparent that this film has the price-tag of the next Marvel-universe blockbuster---an enormous investment for the studio and the distributors. ​But will the good Captain and other woman superheroes exist on the margins? Or will they help turn the tide in an industry that is anything but gender-neutral? In this engaging talk, we will explore how Captain Marvel scores on “tests” such as the Bechdel-Wallace ​

Emerging technologies have long reflected a dialog with science fiction: today’s military exoskeletons are drawn from the pages of Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, a debt that some companies directly admit. But with accelerating evolution across the entire frontier of technology, science fiction has gone from an occasional source of inspiration to one of the few ways in which people and institutions can prepare for a future that is remarkably like the first chapter in a science fiction novel. Only in this case, it’s too real for comfort. For example, The Matrix told you to choose between the red pill, representing reality, and the blue pill, representing illusion. In today’s world, people are making that choice every day – and most of us choose the blue pill. ​

Automata is the plural for an Automaton: a self-operating machine designed to automatically follow a predetermined sequence of operations, or respond to predetermined instruction. During this session, we will explore how Automata are the first step in high tech, mechanical device creation. Then, we'll tap into your inner engineer. With a basic understanding of what is involved, you will create your own Automaton out of provided everyday type materials and experience the science of a controlled system.

Directions:

Please note that all presentations will be recorded and you must sign a photo release at the venue to attend. If you like, you can download and sign a photo release in advance. ​This is funded by the City of Surprise Community Outreach Program. All events are free for anyone to attend.

"I apologize that I think I may forever address you as Dr Poop."​-Anita Shaw